Semester 2 - Bring It On!

“There is only one corner of the universe you can be certain of improving, and that’s your own self.” - Aldous Huxley

Throughout the Simcoe Muskoka Catholic School Board (SMCDSB), students have spent the last month writing exams and completing final projects. And now a new semester is starting. Create new goals, take new classes and have a new plan for success!. Making the next semester great might take a change of mindset and some preparation.

If you want to improve this semester, you need to have a plan and make goals. What would you like to accomplish? Would you like 80% in every class? Would you like to have more of a set schedule? This is all up to you. Having goals helps keep you accountable and gives you something to work towards, making the hardest days of your semester easier because you have something to work forward to.

With your goals and plans in order, it is crucial to look at your habits. This includes how often you complete your homework, your organization, and procrastination. This is an important step, because it is easy to start off right and then slack off mid-semester. The best habit to create or evaluate is how you approach homework. Doing your homework throughout the semester pays off because when you write exams or a test you are more likely to know the content. Adjust your homework habits, and achieve your goals more easily!

Organization is one of the most important habits. Most people believe that organization only lies within binders, pens and pencils, and your locker. However, this is not the case. Digital organization is also very important when using a computer for your assignments. It’s important to come up with a file naming system that works for you and working in Google is a life-saver if you don’t regularly save your documents, as Google Drive does it for you.

All students at St. Dominic Catholic Secondary School (DOM) in Bracebridge are given Chromebooks and access to Google products. Having these resources is a huge advantage as everyone learns to organize their electronic work, collaborate online with teachers and other students, and continue learning even on snow days.

During this next semester, you will have assignments and large projects to complete and it will be important to keep track of when everything is due. A calendar is essential. It can be an app on your phone, a paper agenda or a wall calendar, or even just a notebook. Whatever you decide to use, check it often. It helps remind you of due dates and plan your work appropriately. You may even get the work done early, stress a little less, and achieve your goals more consistently.

With these tips in mind, let’s make a resolution to make goals and plan, watch our habits, and organize our lives. Whether this is your second semester of high school or your last, this semester is a new start for all of us - let’s make it great.